MEGA update: blogs by Profs Perry and Ponting

October 31, 2016

Prof Hugh Perry, Professor of Experimental Neuropathology, University of Southampton, and Chair of the MRC’s Neuroscience and Mental Health Board, has blogged and answered questions about the M.E./CFS Epidemiology and Genomics Alliance (MEGA) project, focusing on the significance of the Genome Wide Associated Studies (GWAS) approach that the team is working on.

“GWAS are a key route to understanding complex diseases and how they might be treated,” says Prof Perry.

Prof Chris Ponting, Chair of Medical Bioinformatics and a Principal Investigator at the MRC Human Genetics Unit, has also blogged about why he chose to get involved with MEGA and replying to questions from people with M.E., including why a patient sample size of at least 12,000 will be needed and why the study can’t just use the existing samples housed in the UK biobank.

While it’s not possible for Prof Perry and Prof Ponting to provide answers to all questions at this time, we are grateful to them for taking the time to engage with the M.E. community and attempt to provide responses to some of the questions

that Action for M.E., the ME Association and other groups have been passing on to the research team.